®
Guided
Reading
The Mighty
Hippopotamus
Report
1070L
Written by Susan Evento
KEY IDEA Comprehensive text, photographs, and more introduce and describe the life of
this unique and interesting animal—the hippopotamus.
LITERACY STANDARDS Addressed in This Plan
RI.3.3
RI.3.4
MAIN FOCUS Key Ideas & Details L.3.4c
Additional Instruction Describe the relationship between a series of
historical events, scientific ideas or concepts,
or steps in technical procedures in a text, using
language that pertains to time, sequence, and
cause/effect.
Use a known root word as a clue to the meaning
of an unknown word with the same root (e.g.,
company, companion).
Craft & Structure L.3.5b Vocabulary Acquisition & Use Additional Instruction Identify real-life connections between words and
their use (e.g., describe people who are friendly
or helpful).
Sessions 1, 3 Determine the meaning of general academic
and domain-specific words and phrases in a text
relevant to a grade 3 topic or subject area.
RI.3.5
MAIN FOCUS Craft & Structure Sessions 2, 3 Use text features and search tools to locate
information relevant to a given topic efficiently.
RI.3.8
RF.3.3c Phonics & Word Recognition Additional Instruction Decode multisyllable words.
RF.3.4c Fluency Session 2 Use context to confirm or self-correct word
recognition and understanding, rereading
as necessary.
MAIN FOCUS Integration of Knowledge & Ideas Sessions 2, 3 Describe the logical connection between
particular sentences and paragraphs in a text.
ISBN -978-1-62889-176-8
RI.3.10 Range of Reading & Level of Text Complexity By the end of the year, read and comprehend
informational texts, including history/social studies,
science, and technical texts, at the high end of the
grades 2–3 text complexity band independently
and proficiently.
SL.3.1b Comprehension & Collaboration Sessions 1, 2, 3 Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g.,
gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to
others with care, speaking one at a time about the
topics and texts under discussion).
L.3.4a
Vocabulary Acquisition & Use Sessions 1, 2, 3 Vocabulary Acquisition & Use Sessions 1, 2 Use sentence-level context as a clue to the
meaning of a word or phrase.
W.3.2
Text Types & Purposes Writing Task Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a
topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
W.3.8* Research to Build & Present Knowledge Sessions 1, 2, 3 Recall information from experiences or gather
information from provided sources to answer
a question. *standard adapted from another grade
W.3.10 Range of Writing Write routinely over extended time frames (time
for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter
time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for
a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes,
and audiences.
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Session 1 Text Selection: pp. 4–14
Learning Focus
RI.3.3
Students read closely
to cause-and-effect
relationships in scientific
ideas and concepts.
Key Idea: Text Selection This section introduces and provides highlights of
the lives of the two types of hippos: the common and the pygmy. The text
describes their physical characteristics and where they live.
PREVIEWING THE TEXT 5 minutes
Read the title and author’s name with students. Discuss the cover, then invite
them to preview the contents, the glossary, the index, and the back cover.
What does the title tell you about the animals you see in the photograph?
They are hippopotamuses.
et’s look at the contents and read the back-cover text. What does this
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information tell you?
VOCABULARY
RI.3.4 If the meanings of
domain-specific words such
as paleontologist, ecosystem,
species, fossil, or habitat
are difficult for students to
determine through context
clues in the text, suggest they
check the glossary on page
31 for definitions.
ELL SUPPORT
L.3.4 Vocabulary Support
vocabulary words such
mighty, enormous, and
common and the idiom by
myself in context using the
ELL vocabulary strategies in
Getting Started.
Corrective Feedback
Have students closely reread
the book title, section title
on page 4, and text on
pages 4 through 6 to identify
cause-and-effect relationships.
Encourage them to silently
reread, stopping at key points
to think and talk together
about their understandings.
SL.3.1.b Discussion
Collaborative
We’ll learn all about hippos and why they are so interesting.
I see that the book has also glossary and an index. As you read, be sure to
check the glossary for the meaning of unfamiliar words and the index for
page numbers where you can find information on specific topics.
READING THE TEXT CLOSELY 10 minutes
Explain the learning focus to students. Then have them read the Introduction
pages 4–6. Check to see how they are doing with the application of the focus.
Provide support if needed.
s we read today, we’ll be reading scientific information about hippos, such
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as facts about their size, their diet, and their lives. Let’s think about how
these scientific ideas or concepts are related and how they explain why
hippos live and act as they do. Let’s specifically look for cause-and-effect
relationships, or how one event or idea results in another event or idea. Has
anyone found an example of a cause-and-effect relationship?
I did. On page 4, it says that hippos get rid of waste in the water. Then
other organisms eat the waste. So I think this is a cause-and-effect
relationship. The waste causes the other organisms to have food and
creates the little ecosystem in the river.
If you are satisfied students can apply the focus, set the reading assignment for
the session. If not, prompt students to return to pages 4 through 6 to look for
scientific ideas or concepts and describe how they are related. Students may
not read the entire selection during this session.
s we read to page 14 today, our work is to continue to look for scientific ideas
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or concepts about hippos that are related by cause and effect. We can ask
ourselves why something happens in order to identify a cause. Then we can ask
ourselves what resulted in order to identify the effect.
DISCUSSING THE TEXT 10 minutes
Invite students to describe the relationships they found between scientific
ideas as they read, especially those related by cause and effect. Encourage
them to follow agreed-upon rules for classroom discussions.
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s we talk together, let’s build the conversation by listening closely to what
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each other says and by taking turns. Clearly express your own ideas as they
relate to what someone else says. Now, who will share scientific information
you learned about hippos that you thought was interesting?
I didn’t know there are two kinds of hippos. I can tell by the photos on
page 7 that they look similar. But the text says they are different in lots
of ways.
Can anyone share a related idea?
Not as much is known about pygmy hippos as is known about common
hippos.
Is there a reason or cause for that?
There are two reasons. There are fewer pygmy hippos to observe, and they
are well hidden and hard to observe.
Guide students to use context to determine the meaning of unknown words.
Focus on the word barrel in the last sentence on page 11.
et’s reread the last paragraph on page 11. . . . Now, find the word barrel
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in the last sentence. You may know this word as a noun that describes a
container. Is that the meaning used here?
L.3.4a VOCABULARY
Words in Context
no
What do you think it means?
to push or run right through something in the way
Who can share what clues point to that that meaning?
In the sentence, the word is used as a verb, so that means it describes an
action. The text says that hippos don’t bother stepping over something in
their way. They barrel through it.
Confirm students’ good use of the focus and encourage them to keep it in
mind whenever they read informative texts.
ou found several scientific ideas or concepts about hippos in the text. You
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then described how these ideas were related, specifically as cause and effect.
Remember to do this whenever you read a book with scientific information.
E-RESOURCE
Formative Assessment: Comprehension Using the Quick Start
Planner, note this session’s learning focus. Observe each student’s articulation
and use of text evidence to evaluate their effective use of the learning focus.
TEACHER’S
CHOICE COMPREHENSION: CAUSE-AND-EFFECT RELATIONSHIPS
E-RESOURCE
Formative Assessment Have students use the blackline master
on page 10 to identify cause-and-effect relationships from the book The
Mighty Hippopotamus. Review students’ answers as you evaluate their mastery
of the learning focus.
RI.3.3 COMPREHENSION
Cause & Effect Relationships
TEACHER’S
CHOICE CONSTRUCTED RESPONSE: COLLECT TEXT EVIDENCE
E-RESOURCE
Formative/Summative Assessment Have students use the
blackline master on page 11 as they read. Students will collect details from the
text to answer the question: How is the hippo’s body well suited to being in
the water? Review students’ collected evidence as your evaluate their mastery
of the learning focus.
W.3.8*, RI.3.3 WRITING
Gather Evidence
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Session 2 Text Selection: pp. 4–14
LEARNING FOCUSES
RI.3.3, RI.3.5, RI.3.8
Students reread closely to
describe cause-and-effect
relationships between
scientific ideas or concepts.
They will also identify and
use text features to find
information, and describe
how sentences and
paragraphs are logically
connected.
Returning to the Text 5 minutes
Guide students to recall how they applied the learning focus to the text that
they read in the first session.
et’s quickly review what we did in the last session to help us learn about
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hippos.
We looked for scientific ideas or concepts about hippos. Then we thought
about how these ideas were related, especially by cause and effect, which
helped us better understand hippos!
READING THE TEXT CLOSELY 10 minutes
Explain the learning focuses and invite students to reread pages 4–6. Check to
see how well they have understood the focuses. If you are satisfied that
students can apply the focuses, set the reading assignment for the session. If
not, provide corrective feedback as suggested on page 2 of this lesson plan.
COMPREHENSION SHARE
Look for reasons why things
happen in a text. If you
understand what caused
something to happen,
you will have a better
understanding of why
it happened.
oday we’ll reread the text we worked on yesterday. As we continue to look
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for relationships between scientific ideas and concepts, we’ll dig into text
features to see how we can use key words and sidebars to find information
we want to know. We’ll also look at how certain sentences and paragraphs are
connected logically. Let’s start by rereading pages 4 through 6. Look at the
second paragraph on page 6. How do scientists think hippos move in water?
by walking along the bottom of the river or lake
What does the text say they do in deep water?
They move forward by jumping.
I also noticed the word actually. How does this word connect the ideas in
the paragraph?
When I read that word, it made me think that the first idea about hippos
walking in water wasn’t completely correct. Hippos don’t only walk as a
way to get around water. They also jump. So this word helped me realize
that hippos get around in water using two ways. They walk. But then they
jump in deep water.
Formative Assessment: Fluency Listen to each student read a portion of
the text. Observe students’ fluency. If students need additional practice with
fluency, provide the necessary support at the end of the session. Ask students
to note words or phrases they find challenging for discussion after the reading.
SL.3.1.b Discussion
Collaborative
DISCUSSING THE TEXT 10 minutes
Facilitate a discussion in which students use text features to locate scientific
ideas and details in the text and then explore cause-and-effect relationships
between these ideas. Additionally, encourage students to explore the structure
of the paragraphs and information in the text. Lastly, remind students to follow
agreed-upon rules for classroom discussions.
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et’s look at the section “Where in the World?” on pages 8 and 9. Who would
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like to share a scientific idea they found here?
The number of hippos has decreased rapidly.
What has been the cause of this decrease?
Farmers have killed them for destroying crops. They are also killed for their
meat and tusks.
et’s look closer at the second paragraph on page 8. How is this paragraph
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structured?
TEACHER TIP
Remind students that science
texts often contain a lot of
details and facts. If students
find themselves becoming
confused or unclear,
encourage them to reread
sections as needed and to
take their time.
It’s about the common hippo. It starts out with the past. Then it talks about
what happened over time. Then it says what happened in the 1800s.
So how would you describe this structure?
I think all the facts are in order, the way things actually happened.
ased on this structure, what details do you think we will read about in the
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next few paragraphs?
what happened after the 1800s, what is happening now
Let’s read on. Is this the information that you find?
Yes, and we also learn that people have killed pygmy hippos.
o by understanding the logical connections between the details on this
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page, we were able to develop a sense of what has happened to hippos
over time.
Focus students’ attention on identifying text features and using search tools,
such as key words, to locate information.
here is a lot of information on hippos in this book. If you were looking for a
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particular topic, you might find it difficult to do. What features does this book
have that help you focus in on information?
I can look on the contents page to find a section that covers a particular
topic. For example, if I wanted to find out how big hippos are, I could look
at the section called “Physical Characteristics.”
hat if you had heard that hippos are often called river horses and you
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wanted to find out if this book had information about that. The contents
page doesn’t say anything about river horse. What would you do to
find this?
DISCUSSION TIP
It may help students express
their ideas clearly as they
collaborate with different
partners if you post sentence
frames so they can organize
their thoughts. For example:
I think _____ about _____
because _____. I would like to
add that _____.
I could look in the glossary to see if it’s in there. And I could look in the
index to see if that topic is listed there.
Let’s do that. What did you find?
It’s not in the glossary, but river horse is in the index under R. It’s on
page 4.
Where else in the book can you find additional information?
The little hippo icons show where there are bits of new information
about hippos.
Who would like to share one that’s interesting?
There are two plural forms for hippopotamus: hippopotamuses
and hippopotami.
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L.3.4a VOCABULARY
Words in Context
Focus on the word regulate on page 12.
et’s reread the second paragraph on page 12. . . . Find the word regulate in
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the first sentence. If you aren’t sure what that word means, you could look
for context clues in the sentence. Who can share what clues they see in the
sentence that can help you figure out that meaning?
The text says that hippos don’t sweat, unlike humans. That means humans
do sweat. I know when I feel hot and I start sweating, I feel cooler. So
that means that sweating helps to lower a hot temperature. Hippos can’t
change their body temperature by sweating. So regulate must mean to
change or keep at a certain level.
emember to look for clues in a sentence and in a paragraph to help you
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figure the meaning of unfamiliar words.
Confirm students’ good use of the learning focuses and encourage them to
keep the focuses in mind whenever they read informative texts.
ou continued to find relationships between scientific ideas, especially those
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that showed cause and effect. You also took a closer look at how these ideas
were expressed in sentences and paragraphs and found logical connections.
In addition, you explored different text features that help you find information
on a particular topic. Remember to do these strategies whenever you read a
book with a lot of information in it.
E-RESOURCE
Formative Assessment: Comprehension Using the Quick Start
Planner, note this session’s learning focus. Observe each student’s articulation
and use of text evidence to evaluate their effective use of the learning focus.
TEACHER’S
RF.3.4c FLUENCY
Confirm or Self-Correct
CHOICE FLUENCY FOLLOW-UP
Fluency Practice Model using the photo diagram on page 13 to determine the
meaning of unknown domain-specific words such as incisors or canines. Share
your thinking as you analyze the details that the feature provides. Connect
these details back to the meaning of each word and to the context in which
the words appear.
TEACHER’S
W.3.8*, RI.3.8 WRITING
Gather Evidence
CHOICE CONSTRUCTED RESPONSE: COLLECT TEXT EVIDENCE
E-RESOURCE
Formative/Summative Assessment Have students continue
to use the blackline master on page 11 for collecting evidence as they read.
Students will continue to collect details from the text to answer the question:
How is the hippo’s body well suited to being in the water? Review students’
collected evidence as your evaluate their mastery of the learning focuses.
6 The Mighty Hippopotamus
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Session 3 Text Selection: pp. 15–24
Key Idea: Text Selection This section of the book describes what hippos eat
and how and when they look for food. Hippos’ grooming relationships with
other animals and their social behavior are also explored.
Returning to the Text 5 minutes
Explain to students that the purpose of this session is to read a new section of
the text and apply the three learning focuses that they used in the last session.
et’s review what we did in the last session. Who will share how we focused
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on the text?
We looked for scientific ideas and how they are related, such as by a
cause and an effect. We also looked more carefully at the sentences and
paragraphs to see how the ideas were logically connected. Then we
explored the different text features we could use to find information in the
book, like the contents page, glossary, index, and sidebars.
READING THE TEXT CLOSELY 10 minutes
Invite students to read page 15. Check to see how they are doing with the
application of the focuses as you have done previously. Then have students
read pages 16–24.
et’s read page 15 and learn about hippos’ feeding habits and diet. Look
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closely at the details on this page. Do you notice any logical connections
between the details in the first paragraph and the details in the second
paragraph?
Yes, I think they are connected by cause and effect. The first paragraph
tells a lot of details about how hippos follow paths so that they can eat
grass. The second paragraph talks about how hippos eating grass causes
erosion and flooding. So the two paragraphs are related.
DISCUSSING THE TEXT 10 minutes
Facilitate a discussion about the information in this section using the focuses.
Remind students to continue to listen carefully, take turns, and build on each
other’s ideas with their own.
LEARNING FOCUSES
RI.3.3, RI.3.5, RI.3.8
Students read closely and
continue to describe causeand-effect relationships
between scientific ideas or
concepts. They also identify
and use text features to find
information in a new section
of text, and describe how
sentences and paragraphs
are logically connected.
Vocabulary
RI.3.4 Encourage students
to look for context clues,
definitions, and examples
to help them determine
the meaning of words such
as bloats, drought, erodes,
gullies, and consistency.
Remind them to also check
the glossary on page 31
and then a dictionary for the
meanings of academic or
domain-specific words.
SL.3.1.b Discussion
Collaborative
et’s talk about hippo behavior and how they live. What scientific ideas did
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you find within the concept of social organization and behavior?
Most live in herds, or bloats. This provides protection, especially for the calves.
Why do the calves need protection?
They might be attacked by a crocodile.
That would certainly cause hippos to live together. What is related to this idea?
There are different kinds of groups, like females with calves, or
young males.
How are the paragraphs on page 21 logically connected?
The first paragraph tells about the groups. The next paragraph tells why
they live in groups.
COMPREHENSION SHARE
If there is more information
you are looking for about
a topic, use key words and
information in sidebars and
captions to help you search
the Internet.
What words connect them?
The second paragraph starts with “Living together in herds provides
protection.” The sentence relates to the first paragraph and tells more.
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What additional information can you find about these groups?
The text says they are called bloats. In the index, I found the word bloats
and found out that information is on three different pages.
What key words might you use to search for information on the Internet?
I’d use bloats to find out why they are called bloats.
Encourage students to share understandings with a partner.
s you share with your partner, remember to look for cause-and-effect
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relationships and logical connections between the scientific concepts. Also
look for information in different text features.
We found a scientific idea and then looked for other ideas that were
related. We asked ourselves if these ideas explained why something
happened or the effect of a behavior. Then we looked at the text to see the
words that were used to connect the information and decided if it made
sense. We made a list of key words we could use to find out more on
the Internet.
ou will be reading the rest of the book on your own. Remember to keep
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using these reading strategies.
TEACHER’S
W.3.8*, RI.3.3
WRITING
Respond to Question
CHOICE CONSTRUCTED RESPONSE: WRITE TO SOURCE
E-RESOURCE
Formative/Summative Assessment Have students continue to
use the blackline master on page 11 as they finish reading. Then ask them to
write a response on a separate piece of paper that answers the question: How
is the hippo’s body well suited to being in the water? Have students use the
text evidence they collected to support their writing.
TEACHER’S
CHOICE CLOSE READING OPTIONS
E-RESOURCE
Summative Assessment Print the online blackline master for
independent close reading. Ask students to read the selection indicated on
the page independently and respond to the prompts (summarize author’s
message, identify critical vocabulary, respond to constructed response
questions) before returning for a small-group discussion. Alternatively, you can
use the completed blackline master for summative assessment.
TEACHER’S
CHOICE
Writing Task: Informative
W.3.2
WRITING
Informative
E-RESOURCE
Summative Assessment Review with students the elements of an
informative report. Consider creating a “Meet the Hippo” learning center to
showcase students’ reports.
ou’ve learned a lot about both kinds of hippos in this book: the common
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hippo and the pygmy hippo. You explored where hippos live, their physical
characteristics, and their behavior. Now write an informative report that that
explains how the two kinds of hippos, common and pygmy, are alike and
different. You may also want to include information about the relationships
hippos have with other animals. State your topic clearly in the first part of
your part. Then write about a subtopic in each paragraph. Include a closing
sentence or paragraph that wraps up, or concludes, your report.
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TEACHER’S
CHOICE
Additional Instruction
word study
Root Words Point out the words infection and infected on page 12. Discuss
how to use the root word infect to determine the meaning of the words.
L.3.4c VOCABULARY
Root Words
n page 12, we see the words infection and infected. To determine the
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meaning of infection we can start by looking at its parts. Who can name the
root word and the suffix in infection?
infect, –ion
Can you tell me what the verb infect means?
to make sick, or cause a disease
he suffix –ion can mean “an act or action.” The suffix turns the verb into a
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noun. Put the meanings of infect and –ion together.
the act of making sick or causing disease
VOCABULARY
Help students identify the
parts of a word with affixes
and use the meaning of the
root word to determine a
meaning for the whole word.
Now look at the word infected. Who can tell me about this word?
The root word is infect, and the ending –ed is used to show something that
happened in the past. So this words means “made sick.”
VOCABULARY
Real-Life Connections Help students make connections between words in the
text with their use in daily life.
L.3.5b VOCABULARY
Real-Life Connections
oint to the word lazy in the last paragraph on page 4. Have you ever spent a
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lazy day? What was it like?
It was a hot. So I just sat around and felt sleepy.
y thinking about your own lazy day, you can understand how hippos might
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be lazy. Let’s look at the word common on page 7. What does the word
common bring to mind?
things that are usual, there are lots of them, robins are common birds
ow does knowing how the word common is used in real life help you know
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what kind of hippo a common hippo is?
It’s the kind of hippo there are the most of. If you see a hippo, it’s probably
a common hippo.
WORD RECOGNITION
Multisyllable Words Use the words environment to discuss how multisyllable
words can be decoded.
RF.3.3c WORD RECOGNITION
Multisyllable Words
et’s look at the word environment on page 12. This word has several syllables!
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Remember that each syllable in a word has a vowel sound. Let’s break down this
word into syllables.
en / vear / own / ment
Does the word make sense when we read it this way?
almost, but not quite
Let’s try again.
en / vi / run / ment
I think this pronunciation makes more sense. We still have a vowel sound in
each syllable. Let’s try it in the sentence.
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Name
Date
Comprehension:
Cause-and-Effect Relationships
There are many cause-and-effect relationships described in The Mighty
Hippopotamus. Describe three cause-and-effect relationships by
completing the charts below.
Effect:
Cause:
Cause:
Effect:
Cause:
© Mondo Publishing
Effect:
Score:
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Name
Date
Collecting Text Evidence
How are common and pygmy hippos alike
and different?
Use this chart to collect text evidence that tells how common and pygmy
hippos are alike and different. Be sure to include page numbers. You may
need more than one copy of the chart.
Common Hippos
Pygmy Hippos
Behavior
© Mondo Publishing
Diet and Feeding
Body
Location
Page
Score:
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Name
Date
Writing Task: Planning Your
Informative Text
Look at the evidence you collected about common and pygmy
hippos. Identify the most interesting and important facts and details
to put in your report. Introduce your topic to begin. Then plan a
subtopic for each paragraph. End with a strong conclusion. Use the
outline below to plan your report.
Paragraph 1
Introduce Your Topic:
Paragraph 2
Subtopic:
Facts and Details:
Paragraph 3
Subtopic:
© Mondo Publishing
Facts and Details:
Paragraph 4
Conclusion:
NOTE: Write your response on a separate piece of paper or on a computer.
Read your writing when you are done and make any necessary revisions.
Score:
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